Bluestblood

This is beautiful and difficult to describe, but I will do my best. The clove and amber are just about equally balanced. The amber reminds me of the amber from Canis Major. It has a soft, twinkling quality that really smooths out the clove and almost makes it creamy. Instead of a sharp, spicy clove scent, it becomes a warmly spiced amber. The black pepper makes it interesting. It gives it an edge...like taking a Sharpie and drawing an indistinct black line around a cloud. This smelled better and better the longer I wore it. It didn't have a ton of throw on me, but it lasted a long time. It's a good come closer to me/first time hook up scent. I believe this would be suitable for any gender. It screams "I am warm and a little mysterious, but also carry around a utility knife because you never know when you're going to need it." It reminds me of a late summer sunset.

This is beautiful and reminds me a lot of Incantation. It has old fashioned soap/high class aftershave quality that is fresh, dark and a little rooty. This is not the chewy, brown vetiver but rather the bright, grassy kind and it is further uplifted by the clean, spicy galangal. This is a clean scent that is unisex and perhaps masculine leaning.

This smells EXACTLY like the taste of White Rabbit milk. It's also similar to milk oolong tea.

VENUS MURCIA Venus of the Myrtle Crushed grass, honey myrtle, and dew-touched green musk. I love, love, LOVE this. To me, it is a combination of The Laughter of Loki and Pale Without Name or Number. The green musk takes the lead in this one, for sure. There is a grassy, herbal quality which adds a complexity that goes above and beyond the listed notes.

I am shocked no one is talking about this one yet. The vanilla is similar to the vanilla in Antique Lace - sweet, golden, and brittle. The vanilla is supported by a deep undercurrent of sun-warmed hay. The nutmeg is not very noticeable to my nose, but I do detect more of it as this one dries. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a highly sought after Ménage A Trois.

This starts off with a flash of searing lye that fades quickly. It settles into the exact smell of Double Bubble - that classic bubble gum with a zip of wintergreen-y mint. I was not expecting to want a bottle of this, but I do...badly. It has also made me ravenous for Double Bubble.

Greek musk, violet leaf, carrot seed, and ho wood. At first sniff, I was certain I would not like this. I am very fortunate I waited for the dry down. Wet: Dry and waxy, kind of like wood polish lacking a lemon scent, slightly bitter and medicinal. The violet leaf is detectable in the back of the nose but it is not in your face. Dry: Wow. A rich, yet mellow, wood/musk smell starts to creep through and adds the barest hint of sweetness. The bitterness almost completely fades and what does remain compliments everything else. It starts to remind me of the scent of my mother's skin after she slathered herself in olive oil on and sat in the sun (don't judge, she was a great tanner and was not afraid of skin cancer ). The scent gets very complex and unique and is greater than the sum of its parts. It smells herbal, pale (really!) and absolutely nostalgic. It does not have a lot of throw but lingers for a long time; it's definitely an up close and personal scent. Rating (0 - 5): 4

I am excited to be the first reviewer because this is unlike anything I have ever smelled. It is greater than the sum of it's parts and more ambient than distinct. Bitter vetiver softened by cashmere wood that makes it dry and almost nutty, the licorice and opoponax add a static-like blackness, the lemon peel adds a deceptively fleeting lash of almost-sweetness that reminds me of a stripe of yellow pleather on black. This is a black scent and fitting for a creepy penis monster/god.

This was an unexpected love. One of the reviewers mentioned smelling oud, and I agree that something in this smells a lot like true oud smoke. This blend is supported by a sparkling undercurrent of musk with a cheeky tang of cognac, but the smoke really is the star. The lavender is barely noticeable. This blend reminds me of Demeter's "Ocean" but better.

Impassioned patriotism cloaked in the guise of a love song: golden frankincense gilding pine pitch, sun-touched amber, and oakmoss resinoid. This scent is sex in a pine forest...for serious. When it's still wet on the skin, something about this reminds me of the earthy element in blood musk (minus the red) if that makes sense; however, this scent is far from red. The initial impression I get is dark green pine pitch with a resinous, earthy richness that reminds me of blood musk. As it dries, the frankincense shares the stage perfectly with the pine pitch and the two combine seamlessly. Golden amber does this thing that reminds me of body sweat (in a good way) and gives the blend a second-skin quality - which is quite a feat with a note like pine pitch. The oakmoss is barely detectable by my nose, but it serves as a reminder that this scent corresponds to a place. It grounds the other notes from taking on too much of a persona and instead makes me call to mind a location. Overall, this is gorgeous and will be taking a place in my collection. It is forest-like and resinous...and it really does remind me of gettin it on in a golden pine forest.

White cedar, black pepper, golden amber, bay leaf, and 4-year aged oudh. I can smell every single note listed in the description. The end result is a beautiful, golden-cedar scent. Cedar definitely dominates here and the amber and oudh add a golden glow that rounds it out and makes it more robust. The bay leaf offers a pale green somberness, and - at least to my nose - takes a bit of the spotlight off the amber/oudh and mutes them a little. The black pepper is an accent gives the whole thing a touch of prickly spice. It is really, really pretty.

A peculiar manifestation of light produced by physical mediums during ectoplasmic séances: otherworldly snaps of ozone glowing with unearthly light. This is a tough one for me to describe. It's definitely heavy on the ozone, but unlike any of the lab's other ozone scents. It is unisex/masculine with a subtly sweet cologne-y note, aquatic, and something that smells kinda like basil without being bitter. It has a vague tinny quality that would make it suitable for the Steamworks line, but also something that reminds me of smooth, light-coloured wood.

Black on black: inky vetiver and opoponax further deepened by red benzoin and five-year aged Sumatran patchouli, limned by mint and white mandarin, and touched by the saltspray of King Tides. Darker than dark! Wet: A vicious blast of dark, earthy vetiver and the menthol-like zing of red patchouli. Initial drydown: The vetiver still dominates and starts to share the stage with the saltspray. Opoponax and patchouli are present, but the patchouli has lost the menthol-like quality it had. I do not smell benzoin, mandarin, or mint. Dry-dry: Smooth vetiver, patchouli, opoponax and saltspray still dominate - I get the barest hint of mandarin and benzoin, and I have to try extra hard to pick out the mint. Overall, I would describe this as a salt-crusted, inky, darker than dark blend. It is not quite salty enough for me to be comfortable enough to call it an aquatic. Then again, it may just be that I am not used to aquatics being this dark. If I were to give it a persona, it is the bad boy in the black coat that hangs out on the pier at night. If you like vetiver and/or patchouli...or if you like being in touch with the darker side of yourself, this is for you!

A scent with no depth: a light, reedy, almost vapid take on a classic men’s fougere. Before I start the review, I am going to begin with an anecdote. When I saw this scent go live, I got excited, had no idea why and bought two bottles thinking "well, if I don't like it, I can always decant it". This is not something I usually do and felt stupid after I placed the order. So the bottles arrived today, and I stared them down for a few minutes before I put some on my wrist. Here comes my review. Initial thoughts can be summarized in the following disjointed words and sentiments: "Wow", "bathtub full", *grunt*, and "MINE!" Wet: Fougere, unisex, light green plants, floral I cannot identify that may be rose (if it is, it is unusual), a light/oily wood note similar to Thieves' Rosin - the combination does smell very light. Dry: My skin amps the floral/green aspect quite a bit to the point where it gets really loud with my skin chemistry. Reedy IS an excellent way to describe it as there is something hollow and superficial about it. Sadly, it does not work well with my skin chemistry but I can see this being amazing on someone else. There was this jerk guy I dated once who liked dressing up in white suits so he would stand out at parties. He was very charming at face value and had a smile that could bite someone's soul out draw just about anyone to him. This reminds me of him.

By what a subtle alchemy the green leaves are transmuted into gold, as if molten by the fiery blaze of the hot sun! A magic covering spreads over the whole forest, and brightens into more gorgeous hues. The tree-tops seem bathed with the gold and crimson of an Italian sunset. Here and there a shade of green, here and there a tinge of purple, and a stain of scarlet so deep and rich, that the most cunning artifice of man is pale beside it. A thousand delicate shades melt into each other. They blend fantastically into one deep mass. They spread over the forest like a tapestry woven with a thousand hues. Magnificent Autumn! He comes not like a pilgrim, clad in russet weeds. He comes not like a hermit, clad in gray. But he comes like a warrior, with the stain of blood upon his brazen mail. His crimson scarf is rent. His scarlet banner drips with gore. His step is like a flail upon the threshing floor. The scene changes. It is the Indian summer. The rising sun blazes through the misty air like a conflagration. A yellowish, smoky haze fills the atmosphere; and A filmy mist, Lies like a silver lining on the sky. The wind is soft and low. It wafts to us the odor of forest leaves, that hang wilted on the dripping branches, or drop into the stream. Their gorgeous tints are gone, as if the autumnal rains had washed them out. Orange, yellow, and scarlet, all are changed to one melancholy russet hue. The birds, too, have taken wing, and have left their roofless dwellings. Not the whistle of a robin, not the twitter of an eavesdropping swallow, not the carol of one sweet, familiar voice! All gone. Only the dismal cawing of a crow, as he sits and curses, that the harvest is over, – or the chit-chat of an idle squirrel, – the noisy denizen of a hollow tree, – the mendicant friar of a large parish, – the absolute monarch of a dozen acorns! Another change. The wind sweeps through the forest with a sound like the blast of a trumpet. The dry leaves whirl in eddies through the air. A fret-work of hoar-frost covers the plain. The stagnant water in the pools and ditches is frozen into fantastic figures. Nature ceases from her labors, and prepares for the great change. In the low-hanging clouds, the sharp air, like a busy shuttle, weaves her shroud of snow. There is a melancholy and continual roar in the tops of the tall pines, like the roar of a cataract. It is the funeral anthem of the dying year. A scent that wanders through the Ages of Autumn, from the last green leaf to the first breath of winter. This is truly magnificent. When it's wet, I smell it in layers and it truly does cycle (quickly) through different stages of Autumn. My nose catches (in order) green stems, dead leaves, tree sap, something sour and slightly sweet that reminds me of black currant or pomegranate. Once dry, it melds into a gorgeous leafy (dead and alive) scent with hints of the sweet/sour from the earlier stage. It is an up close and personal scent with little throw. I love this.

I have unfortunate luck with every single BPAL leaf scent in the sense that all I can smell is leaves, leaves, leaves. While I love dead leaves as a single note, I never have the privilege of detecting a single other note when the dead leaf note is present in a blend. This is the first exception to that rule.... I LOVE this blend! It's definitely dead leaves, and that note stays present into the drydown. However, once the drydown occurs, the most gorgeous sweet pleathery leather scent emerges. I had a pair of pleather pants in my 20s. The scent reminds me of those (like, spot on) and is also reminiscent of the leather note in De Sade in a subtle way. I just purchased backups.

This is very pretty if you love leather. It reminds me of the leather in Thunder and Blazes, but the other notes round it out nicely. The most prominent notes, other than the leather, are the sage, chaparral, and wildflowers. If you liked Sacrifice, this is a must have. It's a serious, cowboys (or girls) in the desert at night kinda jam.

As it goes on, I get benzoin and - weirdly enough - vetiver with a hint of rich cacao. Cacao usually goes weird on my skin (it kinda smells like poop), but this stays true and blossoms into a dark chocolate in smoldering benzoin. As it dries, the sandalwood emerges, but I still swear there is vetiver in this broad! There is a distinct, yet subtle, acrid wood note that is characteristic of vetiver. The main note remains that gorgeous, smoldering benzoin and, frankly, that rocks since it is one of my favorite single notes. Something about this scent reminds me of Canis Major. It's similar only in the sense that it draws you in to reach a greater depth, as if it's saying "there's more to me, come closer." The sillage is not impressive, but there is a time and place for everything. This lady's time and place is in the bedroom, when skin is close and clothes are off.

Merry malice and malevolent pleasures: infernal red musk bubbling with sour white grape and bitter cognac. I love this! It's as if red musk's tendency to be grape-ish was removed only to be replaced by actual grape. To my nose, the drydown is red musk, grape, and red incense. I don't detect the cognac, but I do smell something akin to geranium...however it doesn't have that sharpness that geranium usually has for me. It is bright and deep simultaneously. Slightly tart, slightly sweet, slightly resinous. If you are the type of person who likes when red musk goes grape-y, you need to try this.

This is incredible. It starts off almost entirely frankincense heavy church incense on me with hints of what seems like copal and amber. As it dries, this dusty brittle vanilla pops out that reminds me of Antique Lace.

I have had a blast reading all of the reviews above, and I am stunned that my impression is so different. This reminds me exactly of darker, powdery Necco wafer candies! I get a combination of brown musk, wool, sweet tobacco, clove, and a hint of black coffee. While I do get a slight vinegar tang when it's still wet, it burns off quickly. It's fuzzy, evocative, and very nostalgic.

Lemonheads, candy corn, bubble gum, sticky chocolate wrappers, cheap caramel, and hints of wax candies...a masterpiece!

Like many of us, I am a huge fan of Thieves' Rosin. I have noticed that my older bottles smell entirely different than the newer imps and bottle I received from the lab. The older bottles smell like golden wood, rich, almost cologne-like, with an edge that is tangy and almost metallic. The newer bottle smells more muted, smooth, closer to the skin, almost like a vanilla with the softest musk or leather. Has anyone else noticed this? Is it a batch variation or due to aging?

A sign of a better age: white sandalwood and crystallized vanilla absolute with white amber, Florentine iris, white leather, and red patchouli bursting through melting snow. This is WONDERFUL and reminds me of Monastery in the Mountains! The lab's snow note takes center stage, and it has a soft, pillow-y, smooth minty/vanilla cloud vibe. The softest sandalwood and leather notes peak out, with only a tiny breath of gentle florals. The patchouli, which is barely detectable, gives the whole thing a little bit of an edge. This is a must have for anyone who loved Monastery in the Mountains or Cloister Graveyard in the Snow. There is a stoic optimism about this scent that is difficult to put into words.

I have tried Oriental CTVII's numbered: # 87, # 88, # 89, # 90, # 91 They correspond (in some order) to the following reviews: O1 - Lavender, benzoin, golden amber, incensey O2 - Tonka, peach blossom, cherry, lotus, sweet O3 - Clove (?), citrus peel, wood O4 - Thin vanilla musk and embalming fluid O5 - Gardenia (I think), cherry blossom, teak, vanilla, sweet, sultry floral